


Your Words Hurt Me

by demotivated_med_student



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: A LOT of Angst, Aged-Up Character(s), Angst, Crying, Eventual Fluff, Happy Ending, I'm trying to write them a happy ending tho, M/M, Post-Time Skip, Sad, desperate Iwaizumi, heartbroken oikawa, slight KuroKen in chapter 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:42:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27104428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/demotivated_med_student/pseuds/demotivated_med_student
Summary: Oikawa finally gets to take a break from his training in Argentina and chooses to spend his 1 week break to visit Iwaizumi. Oikawa hopes to spend valuable time with his boyfriend but things don’t work out the way he wants it to, especially the way his boyfriend treats him.
Relationships: Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru, Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou
Comments: 6
Kudos: 75





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was so painful to write but I swear I'll write a happy ending for our dear couple. I haven't really thought of an appropriate plot device to bring them together but I'm thinking really hard about it. This is also the first angst story I've written, I tend to write fluff (and sometimes smut, I might post some of them soon after I revise them) so this took me a lot of time to write and I haven't thought of a good plot device T_T Once I've come up with a way to give these two a happy ending, I'll post it immediately as chapter two hehe. Pls do drop a kudos or comments if you enjoyed the story, I really love receiving feedback.

“... I’d like to thank you for joining us on this trip and we are looking forward to seeing you on board again in the near future. Have a nice stay! ” Oikawa wakes up due to the buzzing and long announcement from the flight crew as a cue that they’ve arrived in Japan. It was a chilling December night, and he’s finally able to visit his homeland after 6 long months. He breathes out, seeing how his breath condenses in the cold air, and smiles. He missed the different kind of cold Japan offered but he misses his boyfriend even more. He pulls out his phone to call his boyfriend.

“Iwa-chan~ I’ve arrived safely and I’m on a cab to your apartment now. Can you cook or order me something warm? I’m quite hungry and it’s really cold.” Oikawa says in such a chipper mood, excited to finally see Iwaizumi. The cab driver cocks his head to look at Oikawa through the rear view mirror and recognizes him, “Sir! I’m so honored to have you as my passenger! My daughter is a big fan of yours, she watched all your games. Would it be alright to ask for a picture and an autograph? My daughter would be so happy.” Oikawa complies, wearing his brightest smile for the picture the driver took while waiting on a red light. “Sir, are you on a break? Have you gotten a girlfriend while staying in Argentina?” the driver asks, making small talk. Oikawa says he doesn’t need one, but omits the fact that he has a boyfriend. 

Oikawa arrives at the apartment and starts walking towards the entrance when he hears a shriek and turns his head towards the source. It was a group of girls approaching him, “Oikawa! WE’RE SUCH BIG FANS! WOW! YOU LOOK EVEN BETTER IN PERSON! I THINK I’M GOING TO PASS OUT!” The girls started crowding him, saying all sorts of things that flattered him. If this was in the past, Oikawa would’ve loved to entertain them but he’s flirtatious ways were a thing of the past now. He simply thanks them and says that he needs to leave, which he does as quickly as possible. 

“Iwa-chan, your handsome lover has arrived!” Oikawa announces as he opens the door to Iwaizumi’s apartment. “Oh. Hey. How was the trip?” Iwaizumi plainly asks him as he sat in the dining area with the table set. Oikawa drops his bags in the living room and runs to Iwaizumi, with his arms open. He stops in front of his boyfriend, expecting to receive a hug but his boyfriend just gives him a weird look. “Hpmh! I want a hug, Iwa-chan!” Oikawa demands, like a child asking for attention. Iwaizumi simply ignores him, when Oikawa cups his face and turns it towards him and plants a kiss on his lips. Iwaizumi blushes a little and Oikawa sees his reaction and walks away triumphantly and sits across Iwaizumi.

Oikawa opens the pot and sees that his boyfriend made Udon noodles, his eyes glimmer in excitement and nostalgia. Japanese food was quite popular in Argentina so he had access to it but he really misses the meals Iwaizumi made in particular. As Oikawa gobbles up the food, he noticed that Iwaizumi wasn’t eating much but was working instead. “What you working on?” Oikawa asks, trying to make conversation. “I’m making a workout routine for my students they could do over the Christmas break. I’ll be giving and teaching them this tomorrow since it’s the last day before the break.” Iwaizumi says, not bothering to look at Oikawa, and his forehead furrowed. The couple finishes their meal without having a good and long conversation that Oikawa was hoping for but he understood that he was busy with work and he’ll be able to spend more time with his boyfriend once tomorrow is over. 

Oikawa offers to wash the dishes to allow his boyfriend to finish what he’s doing in hopes that he finishes early and talk with each other. Iwaizumi thanks Oikawa and heads to the bedroom. Oikawa follows him to the bedroom after cleaning, bringing along his baggage. He arrives in the room and changes his clothes, and tells Iwaizumi that he’s going to the bathroom to freshen up, which wasn’t acknowledged by his boyfriend. Oikawa returns to the bedroom and settles in bed, beside Iwaizumi and his finger starts to glide across Iwaizumi’s arm. There was no sexual or ill intentions in Oikawa’s touches, he just missed the warmth and touching Iwaizumi. Iwaizumi doesn’t react to Oikawa’s touches and is still very focused on his work. He closes his laptop, stands up to go to the bathroom and freshen up as well. Iwaizumi returns and lies in bed, intending to sleep already, “Iwa-chan~ I missed you so much. I had two instances where people recognized me. I guess I’m getting really popular here!” Iwaizumi sighs as his plans to sleep are interrupted but entertains his boyfriend anyway. 

“Yeah. My students ask about you often after knowing we went to high school together.”

“Ooooohhhh. You must be proud to have such a popular boyfriend, huh? What do they ask about me?” Oikawa says, hoping to fish a compliment or two from his boyfriend.

“What kind of person you are and all that stuff. They always request that I get them an autograph from you.” Iwaizumi responds flatly, sounding uninterested in the conversation.

“Oh really? Should I pay a visit tomorrow then and make all their wishes come true. They might follow your instructions better if I say you insisted I visit them.” Oikawa suggests, hoping to see how his boyfriend is at work and meet the students, as well.

“Don’t. Come. Visit. Me. At. Work.” Iwaizumi sternly tells Oikawa, glaring at him.

“Hehe~ We’ll see about that. Do you want to have dinner at some fancy restaurant after your work?” Oikawa says, expecting his boyfriend to agree since they haven’t had a date in a really long time.

“Nah. You attract too many people. I don’t want to deal with that. Also, I really need to sleep now, I have to go to work early tomorrow.” Iwaizumi rejects Oikawa’s invitation and proceeds to turn his back on his boyfriend.

Oikawa sighs and crawls closer to Iwaizumi to hug him from behind. “Oikawa, stop. I don’t have the energy to deal with you right now.” Iwaizumi says as he jerks his boyfriend off. “I just wanted to hug you.” Oikawa whispers to himself as he separates himself from his boyfriend. In all honesty, Oikawa is used to the cold and stern attitude Iwaizumi had, he was always like this but he can’t help but feel a little sad. They haven’t seen each other in over 6 months and he was hoping his boyfriend would be a little more enthusiastic, sweet, and loving towards him. He turns his back on Iwaizumi as he holds his chest from the tinge of pain he felt, fighting his jetlag as he tries to get some sleep himself.

Oikawa wakes up and checks his phone.  _ 8:48 am _ ,  _ I guess Iwaizumi left for work already. I wish he woke me up so I can send him off _ , Oikawa thinks to himself as he stretches and gets out of bed. He fixed the bed and starts to rummage for running clothes he can wear for his morning run and changes into those, wearing a cap as well. It may seem a little narcissistic but Oikawa doesn’t want people to recognize him and interrupt his run. He heads out of the bedroom, expecting a prepared meal at the dining area with a cute note from his boyfriend but is dismayed when he finds nothing. Actually, rather than sad, he felt rather worried that his boyfriend doesn’t seem to eat breakfast anymore. Oikawa sighs and goes to the park for his run.

He finishes his run and returns to the apartment, heading to the bathroom to shower. After that he proceeds to cook and eat a meal, feeling drowsy due to his jetlag, he decided to lay on the couch and sleep. He wakes up and looks at the clock and it reads 3:13 pm. He sighs, thinking of what he could do to pass the time when suddenly he thinks of visiting his boyfriend at work. He remembers his boyfriend’s warning but thinks that he won’t be mad if he visits, he won’t interrupt him anyway. He arrives at Iwaizumi’s workplace and takes a seat at one of the benches in the gymnasium. He covered himself pretty well so that no one, including his boyfriend would take notice of him. He watches Iwaizumi gleefully being so dedicated to his job. A bell goes off in the gym, alarming that training sessions were over. He takes this as his cue to text his boyfriend that he’s here, telling him which direction to look. Iwaizumi opens his phone and reads the text, glancing at the direction Oikawa told him and sees a covered boy waving at him. Iwaizumi doesn’t wave back and says his farewells to his students. Oikawa sulks as his boyfriend didn’t acknowledge him and decides to take off his scarf and cap and shout, “Iwa-chan!” The students of Iwaizumi turn to the source of the shout and are shocked to see Oikawa waving at their instructor. Iwaizumi sighs and rubs his face in frustration but heeds to the request of his students to meet Oikawa. He signs to Oikawa to come down from the bleachers and Oikawa comes running and smiling at them. The students start swarming Oikawa, asking him for pictures and autographs on their personal volleyballs. Iwaizumi tells Oikawa to wait for him by the entrance and proceeds to leave to head to the locker rooms to shower and change his clothes. 

“Your students seem to love you, Iwa-chan. They say you’re very nice and patient in teaching them their routines!” Oikawa says brightly upon seeing his boyfriend, but was met with a glare and furrowed eyebrows. Iwaizumi doesn’t even acknowledge his boyfriend and continues walking towards his car with Oikawa following him. They both ride the car and drive in silence. The silence was bothering Oikawa a lot, he didn’t think his boyfriend would be so mad at him that he’d ignore him. Oikawa was honestly very dismayed with Iwaizumi’s behavior and starts questioning if his boyfriend even missed him.  _ Can’t he act a little happier?  _ Oikawa asks in his head as he feels pain in his chest again. 

They arrive in the apartment, and take off their coats. “Iwa-chan, I’m sorry. I just really wanted to see you work and meet your students.” Oikawa says sincerely, he doesn’t want his visit to be filled with anger and disappointment. Iwaizumi sighs in response and proceeds to the bedroom and changes his clothes and Oikawa follows. Iwaizumi proceeds to the living room to watch some TV and of course, Oikawa follows him. They both sit on the couch and Oikawa proceeds to hug Iwaizumi’s arm, “Iwa-chan~ one of your students asked me if you were single haha I almost told her we were dating. I think that student has a crush on you. I also took a picture on my phone with your-” “Oikawa, can you just stop, please? I just want some peace and quiet.” Iwaizumi interrupts him, removing Oikawa’s wrapped arms off his own. This was the last straw for Oikawa, he was sad, disappointed, and mad now. 

“Iwaizumi, are you even happy to see me?!” Oikawa questions Iwaizumi in an angry tone.

“I’m less happy now.” Iwaizumi says not even looking at his boyfriend, focusing on finding a good show to watch instead.

“We haven’t seen each other in over six months. Would it hurt you to be a little enthusiastic with me being here?” Oikawa responds, with tears building in his eyes.

“Oh come on, Oikawa! I’m always like this. Why are you complaining now? I don’t want to argue right now, so stop. I’m too tired to deal with you right now.” Iwaizumi says, in a more annoyed tone.

“You know what? Maybe I should’ve just visited my parents instead, I bet I’d get a better welcome there. The cab driver might even treat me better than you do right now. Actually, everyone in Japan would treat me better. I can’t even tell if you love me right now.” Oikawa argues back with tears finally running down his face.

“Do what you want.” Iwaizumi plainly responds, staring straight at Oikawa, seeing him crying. 

Oikawa was done with the shitty treatment and starts packing his bag and leaves the apartment, slamming the door behind him. Iwaizumi doesn’t bother running after his boyfriend. They’ve had bigger fights before with Oikawa leaving but he always comes back after a few hours. Five hours have passed and the night has come but Oikawa has yet to return and Iwaizumi gets worried. He calls Oikawa’s phone multiple times only to be sent to voicemail each and every time. He sighs and rubbing his temples. Iwaizumi has been very frustrated lately because of his job, he was supposed to get promoted when some jerk vying for the same position got it instead because he had connections, and all Iwaizumi has is his skills and dedication to the job. Not only was a promotion robbed from him, the jerk would even go as far as to rub it in his face, making snide comments and remarks about Iwaizumi in front of his students.  _ shit , I really fucked up _ . Iwaizumi thinks to himself as he calls Oikawa’s parents to ask if he had contacted them. 

“Hello Auntie. Has Oikawa contacted you?” Iwaizumi asks in a respectful and bright tone.

“Oh no. He hasn’t. He did tell us he arrived yesterday. Has he not arrived at your place yet?” Oikawa’s mom asks, her voice dripping with worry. 

“He has, auntie, but we had a fight and he ended up leaving. He isn’t back yet and it’s been five hours.” Iwaizumi explains, hoping to calm the mother. 

“Oh, I see. I don’t think Toru would do something to endanger him so don’t worry too much. I’ll give him a call and tell him that you're looking for him. Oikawa loves you a lot, Hajime. I hope you make up.” Oikawa’s mom reassures Iwaizumi.

“Thank you, auntie. Bye.” The phone call ends. 

\----

Oikawa checks into a hotel, he was honestly lucky to get one, considering the number of tourists visiting Japan during the holidays. Oikawa cries again, remembering how every time they fight, and he threatens to leave, Iwaizumi never tries to stop him. It felt like Iwaizumi was just waiting for him to leave, like his boyfriend never wanted him or if he did, not enough to make an effort to make him stay. He was always the one running back, afraid of actually losing him. Oikawa sits there on the bed, waiting for a call, a text, anything from Iwaizumi, and he swears he’ll come back, and that’s all he’s been doing for the past three hours. He finally stops crying and opens a beer from the mini fridge in his room.  _ I don’t deserve to be treated like this.  _ Oikawa thinks to himself as he downs the cold beer, at this point, he starts pitying himself and comes to a decision. He decides not to mope any longer, he can have fun without Iwaizumi and he plans doing just that. He blocks Iwaizumi’s number and on all social media platforms, wears his coat, scarf, and cap to explore the city. He goes to the fancy restaurant he reserved a table for the two, and eats there alone. He looks around and sees all the couples, families, and friends dining there together. He honestly felt lonely, playing with a small box in his pocket. He brings it out the box, and takes a look at the engagement ring. He wanted to propose tonight, during dinner. Same sex marriage was legal in Argentina and he wanted to marry him there. He starts crying again, thinking of Iwaizumi and the future he envisioned for them. He soon stops, wiping his tears with the napkin, when his phone suddenly rings and he picks it up.

“Hello.” Oikawa greets the caller.

“Toru~ are you okay?” It was Oikawa’s mom calling.

“I’m okay. Why’d you call?” Oikawa asks.

“Well, you see, Iwaizumi called us. He was very concerned and it seems that he can’t contact you. Where are you right now?” Oikawa’s mom asks and explains to his son.

“Oh. Okay. We had a fight and I really think we’re over. For real this time. I’m in the city where Iwaizumi works so don’t worry too much about me. I won’t do anything dangerous, I have a career to take care of.” Oikawa says, his heart hurts a little upon learning Iwaizumi tried contacting him. 

“Toru~ my dear son~ My only advice for you really is go where your heart is happy. Take care of yourself there. I love you!” Oikawa’s mom says, trying to comfort and reassure his son. She wanted to say more but he doesn’t want to interfere too much with their relationship, they’re both grown adults now and they know better what would be best for them.

“Love you too, mom. Bye.” Oikawa says, ending the call, sighing, and signals the waiter for his bill. 

Oikawa goes to a coffee shop, orders him a drink. He asks himself,  _ where will my heart be happier?  _ Oikawa immediately thinks of Iwaizumi but he also wonders what if nothing changes between them? He thinks of all the times he’s threatened to leave and sees a pattern. Oikawa was always the first person to apologize every time, and he’s always the one running after him. He scoffs at himself and beads of tears well up in his eyes. He came to a decision that he was going to break up with Iwaizumi before he left for Argentina. He wasn’t going to let himself be treated this way. He decides to have fun during this trip and he’ll do everything he wants, without thinking of Iwaizumi.

\------

Iwaizumi searches in the park near their home to look for Oikawa, he’s contacted all their mutual friends to ask if his boyfriend has messaged or called them but none said yes. He goes to all the places he thinks he can find Oikawa, but to his dismay, he wasn’t there. Iwaizumi was growing desperate, he goes to a ramen shop to energize and warm himself since he hasn’t eaten anything since he started looking for Oikawa. His phone receives a message from Oikawa’s mom, it read:

“Hello, Hajime! I’ve contacted Toru and he told me he was still in the city, he didn’t tell me where exactly though. He sounded very sad, I do hope you find each other soon. Contact us when you’ve found him.” 

Iwaizumi sighs, reading the message and starts contacting Oikawa again, it was already 10:30 pm and he’s trying to think of ways to find Oikawa, while eating his food. He checks if Oikawa blocked him on Instagram, and he did. Iwaizumi rests his head on his hands, trying to stop himself from crying. Oikawa was always affectionate towards him, despite not reciprocating it. Oikawa was always putting up with the cold shoulder he would often give him, and despite all that Oikawa loved him as he is, with all his heart. Iwaizumi suddenly lifts his head up, an idea to find Oikawa has come to his head. He suddenly remembers that Oikawa was pretty popular in Japan, and a lot of people would recognize him. He opens up Instagram and searches, #Oikawa. He scrolls through the pictures posted of his boyfriend and he finds a picture posted only a few minutes ago. It was Oikawa, dancing in a what seems to be a nightclub, and it was captioned, “Oikawa the volleyball player is in Soul Groove NightClub :O he’s so good looking, y’all know if he’s single ;)” Iwaizumi immediately leaves the ramen shop and hails a cab to head to Oikawa. 

Iwaizumi arrives and starts looking for his brunette boyfriend, and sees him sitting at a table with a few girls. This infuriates Iwaizumi and charges at the table. He stands there and slams his hand on the table, staring at Oikawa, gathering the attention of the small group. Oikawa was flushed red, obviously consumed a considerable amount of alcohol. Oikawa is shocked to see him but doesn’t show it, he continues to talk to the girls, “Oikawa.” Iwaizumi says and honestly, this makes Oikawa’s heart skip a beat but ache at the same time. Oikawa sighs and closes his eyes and flashes a bright smile at the girls saying, “I’ll be back, okay? My friend and I just need to talk.” Oikawa stands up and immediately gets dragged outside by Iwaizumi. They’re finally out of the dark and noisy place but the outside was also crowded with people, so they walked farther. “This is far enough, Iwaizumi!” Oikawa said and forced his hand out of Iwaizumi’s grip. As they faced each other, multiple things ran through Iwaizumi’s head, not knowing what to say first. Oikawa’s face was obviously pissed, “Iwaizumi, if you have nothing to say, then let me go first. Iwaizumi, we are done. We’re over. This is where our relationship ends.” Oikawa says putting on a strong face, but had tears welling up in his eyes. Iwaizumi was shocked, this was not how imagined things would go, he didn’t want to break up, his mind goes blank and his breathing erratic. The two just stand in silence, “I’ve said what I wanted to say. I have no reason to listen to you anymore.” Oikawa speaks up and starts walking away. Iwaizumi immediately runs to Oikawa and hugs him from behind, stopping the brunette from walking away. “Oikawa, please, I’m sorry. Please let me explain, allow me to apologize. Please!” Iwaizumi begs, his voice cracking due to crying. Oikawa, as much as he tried to stop it, started crying as well. As much as Iwaizumi has hurt him, he didn’t like seeing the person he still loves, in pain. 

“Oikawa, I’m sorry. I was venting my frustrations out on you. I was supposed to get this promotion at work and some asshole got it because he had connections. I’m sorry, I know it’s wrong but I-I still did it, maybe I unconsciously th-thought you’d still stick by me e-even if I did that, but you don’t d-deserve that. I’m selfish, cold, and un-unaffectionate towards you but that never stopped you f-from loving me… I love you, Oikawa, I really do. Please… Please don’t le-leave me… I love the n-nickname you gave me and th-the way you say it. Ever since you moved to Ar-Argentina, you were always on m-my mind and my ins-inspiration. I missed see-seeing you, and touching you and ever-everything about you. Please, Oikawa. I can’t imagine m-me without you...” Iwaizumi says as more tears run down his eyes and stain Oikawa’s coat, his words slurring. Iwaizumi was desperate and he couldn't think of a life without Oikawa, he hugged him even tighter, having no intentions of letting go. 

Oikawa was crying too but he pushes Iwaizumi’s hands away, and faces him. “Iwaizumi… if I can only be a person you vent your frustration and anger at, I don’t want it. I want to be someone you can share those frustrations with, someone who can be your refuge. Argentina was difficult without you but I always thought of how proud you’d be of me if I did my best. I’m aware of how you are and I’ve learned to love and accept that about you but… it doesn’t mean that I’m not hurt by it. Am I asking for too much when I want some more enthusiasm and affection from you? Am I too clingy? Too annoying? Too much of everything?!” Oikawa says calmly despite the tears flowing from his eyes, and his unsteady breathing.

“No, you’re not! I love everything about you. I may not show it but I swear I do. Please Oikawa… I love you so much.” Iwaizumi says as he holds Oikawa’s hand tightly, showing his desperation to make Oikawa stay. Oikawa calms his breathing, and tries to stop crying, relaxing himself. He reaches into his pocket, and gives Iwaizumi a small red box, and Iwaizumi opens the box, and sees the ring. “I wanted to give you a special present before I left for Argentina, actually I was supposed to give this tonight over dinner. Honestly, I can’t imagine life without you, either but I also can’t imagine being treated like shit. I still love you, so so much and I know my love for you isn’t fragile,,, but I also love myself.” Oikawa says and closes the box. “Take it. It may not be special anymore but I still want to give it to you despite it no longer having any meaning. Keep it or throw it… or give it to someone in the future.... Listen carefully to what I have to say next, this maybe the last time, I’ll ever say it.” Oikawa says and draws in a long and deep breath and trying to pour all his emotion into the words he was about to say, “I love you, Iwa-chan~” Oikawa says, cupping Iwaizumi’s face, staring into his eyes, smiling despite the tears that slowly flowed. Those words were filled with all the love Oikawa wanted to give him, it was warm and sweet but painful as it was meant to be a farewell. Oikawa turns around, with a small tinge of hope that Iwaizumi would stop him. 


	2. The mind is angry but the heart still loves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oikawa and Iwaizumi make up and ends on the best note possible

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I think I went overboard with their fight in chapter 1 so this chapter might be underwhelming for some of you, sorry :< I wrote a very realistic approach to how couples make up and build their relationship after a fight, so there's nothing extravagant or a woah factor in this chapter but still, I'm very satisfied with this chapter. Despite the realistic approach (or the lack of the wow that comes from things being fictional) I do hope you enjoy this chapter. Do comment your thoughts or leave a kudos if you enjoyed reading this, thank you!

Iwaizumi stands there in shock, looking at Oikawa as he walks away, the tears are now a river flowing.  _ Is this really the end? No it isn’t!  _ Iwaizumi thinks, as he runs after Oikawa, and grabs his arm to stop him and flip him around. “Toru, please give me another chance. I’ll run after you every time we fight and you leave. No, actually, I’ll make it that you never have to leave again. I’ll be your biggest fan, I’ll love you better, I’ll be more-” “Why do you have to make this so difficult for me?” Oikawa cuts Iwaizumi’s words of desperation, crying again. “I’ll make sure that breaking up with me will be the most difficult thing for you.” Iwaizumi says, pulling Oikawa closer for a hug. Surprisingly, Oikawa reciprocates the hug and they hug each other tighter. It was warm, and all the love, sadness, desperation, and pain were felt by the two. The two have completely forgotten that they’ve been fighting in public, Iwaizumi slightly opens his eyes, only to see a group of girls, staring and pointing at Oikawa. He raises Oikawa’s hood over his head, trying to cover his face, “People are starting to recognize you.” Oikawa sniffles, rewrapping his scarf better to hide his face more, “Thank you. I’m going back to my hotel now. I wish you the best, Iwaizumi.” Oikawa starts walking away, honestly, he doesn’t know if he really wants to break up now. He’s seen a completely different side of Iwaizumi, he can see that every word and emotion he said was honest and raw. He needed some time to think. As he starts walking, he starts to feel stiffness and pain every time his right knee moves, and starts to stagger, but the pain is becoming too much and he proceeds to hold his knee and whimpers. Iwaizumi sees this and runs to Oikawa, “Hey, are you okay?” Iwaizumi asks, trying to help Oikawa stand by anchoring Oikawa’s arm around him. “Yeah, it’s probably stiff because it’s cold.” Oikawa proceeds to remove his arm wrapped around Iwaizumi’s shoulder, “I can handle this. I’ll just hail a cab or something.”

“Oikawa, it’s late. Taxis are hard to come by. Come home with me, instead. I’ll call Kuroo and ask if he can give us a lift. Kenma has work here, I think it’s some sort of game convention, and Kuroo came with him.” Iwaizumi suggests, as he brings out his phone and dials Kuroo’s number. Iwaizumi stays on the phone for a while, and he tells Oikawa that Kuroo agreed and they’ll have to wait at some convenience store near them. “Iwaizumi, I appreciate the offer, but I think I need some time to think. Alone.” Oikawa says, looking out the window, avoiding Iwaizumi’s eyes. “Oh. Okay but I don’t think I can leave you alone, though. I told you I’m going to make sure that breaking up with me would be the hardest thing to do so… I’ll show you just how much you mean to me, and how much I love you.” Iwaizumi says courageously, his tone dripping with determination. Oikawa starts rubbing his knee again because it was still stiff and painful, and Iwaizumi notices this. Iwaizumi takes off his scarf and wraps it around Oikawa’s knee, “I don’t know if that’ll help but I hope it keeps your knee warm.” Oikawa felt warmth around his knee, not sure if it came from the scarf or the act itself. They sat there in silence, trying to regain their thoughts and emotions, both of them had redness around their eyes from crying. A black car honks outside which catches their attention, and the window rolls down, revealing Kuroo and Kenma. 

They board the car and Kuroo cheerly says, “What’s up with you, love birds? How about a double date since we’re all here?” The two did not respond, and Kuroo turns around to look at them. Seeing how the two were apart, and the looks on their faces, it was obvious that the two had fought. “Iwaizumi, what’s your address?” Kuroo asks as he starts to drive. Kenma enters the address into the GPS system and holds his hand out for Kuroo to hold. Iwaizumi sees this and tries to reach for Oikawa’s hand who was just looking out the window. Oikawa snaps his hand away and turns his head towards Iwaizumi because he was surprised. The look on Iwaizumi’s face was like a puppy begging for something. “Uh, Kuroo, can I be dropped off at Risen Sun Hotel?” Oikawa says, moving his attention from Iwaizumi, had he not done this, he would’ve succumbed to Iwaizumi. “Oooohhhh, that’s where we’re staying too! Eyyyyy~ you guys staying apart? You guys are rarely together. You should- Ouch, Kenma!” Kuroo gets cut off when Kenma digs his nails into Kuroo’s hand to tell him to stop and read the vibe better. The entire car ride was only filled with the sound of Kenma’s mobile game and small chuckles from Kuroo. “Bye, Iwaizumi. You owe me dinner!” Kuroo says since they’ve arrived at his apartment. Iwaizumi gives Oikawa a kiss and says while smiling warmly, “Keep the scarf.” The act leaves Oikawa, eyes wide open, then closes his eyes and sighs. 

“Mind telling us what happened?” Kuroo chimes since he was curious about what happened. “We broke up.” Oikawa says plainly, as tears start to form in his eyes again. This shocked the couple, to the point that even Kenma stopped playing his game. “You guys don’t look like you broke up, though. At least that’s what it looked like with Iwaizumi. “Mind spilling more details?” Kuroo responds, trying to feed his curiosity. Oikawa spills everything since he needed someone to vent out to and hoping that the two would give him any advice. “You were planning to propose? Bro, that’s fucking sad… but you know, why don’t you give Iwaizumi a chance? I mean, if he really was such a shitty boyfriend, you guys wouldn’t have lasted for so long. Just think about what made you stay with him for so long despite, you know, all the fucked up shit about him.” Kuroo says after clicking his tongue a few times. They arrive at the hotel parking lot and Oikawa thanks them for the ride and leaves swiftly. “Oikawa, what are your plans tomorrow?” Kenma says in a comforting tone. Oikawa just shrugs his shoulders in response, he really doesn’t know what to do, this vacation was supposed to be spent with Iwaizumi. “If you don’t have plans, join us for breakfast tomorrow and if you’re interested, I could give you tickets to the game convention I’m attending tomorrow. Kuroo will be there, you could keep each other company.” Kenma suggests with a faint smile, trying to comfort Oikawa. “Thanks, Kenma. I think I’d like that. Thank you.” Oikawa smiles back. “That’s great. I’ll give you the ticket tomorrow over breakfast.” Kenma responds, feeling relieved that he could help Oikawa in some way. They both say their farewells and go their separate ways, Oikawa can faintly hear Kuroo saying, “Awww Kenma, you’re so sweet.”

Oikawa arrives at his room and flops on the bed, taking his phone out to charge. He takes a shower and prepares a hot towel to warm his stiff knee. Oikawa lies on the bed and sees the scarf Iwaizumi left him and hugs it. Oikawa loves Iwaizumi, immeasurably. He remembers what Kuroo said and starts to reminisce their memories together. Iwaizumi wasn’t really the affectionate type, he wasn’t vocal and physical about how he felt, he’s always been like that. Iwaizumi showed his love for Oikawa in a more modest and simple way. He took really good care of Oikawa, cooking him food, reminding him to take care of himself, and when he moved to Argentina, Iwaizumi was the one who initiated texts and calls between them, making sure it wasn’t interrupting Oikawa’s sleep. Iwaizumi would watch all of Oikawa’s games, and tell Oikawa he did great, and all the sets he made that he would’ve loved to spike. He’d watch the shows Oikawa recommended, and listens to the playlists Oikawa made for him. Everything was subtle but Oikawa felt the love and the warmth. Oikawa remembers the early days of their relationship, it was awkward, despite being best friends for all their lives. He remembers when they were in the supply room of their highschool gym, how he landed the first kiss on Iwaizumi’s cheek, causing both boys to blush. A smile tugs on Oikawa’s lips remembering the events that occurred after, how Iwaizumi held his face and initiated their first kiss in the cramped and dark supply room. Oikawa falls asleep smiling, with tears running down his eyes. 

\---

Iwaizumi arrives at his apartment, sighing as he took off his shoes and coat, texting Oikawa’s mom that he found him. He does everything he needs to do before heading for bed. He looks at his bedside table and sees the box Oikawa had given him earlier. He stands up and heads to his closet, reaching deep into one of the shelves and pulls out a small box. He heads to bed, holding both boxes, one in each hand. He opens the box Oikawa gave him, the engagement ring was simple, not very flashy or extravagant, the ring exuding vibes and taste that fit him.  _ He knows me so well. _ Iwaizumi thinks and smiles subtly. Iwaizumi now opens the box he pulled from his closet, and it was an engagement ring for Oikawa. It was much more flashy, having a bigger gem in the middle, and the ring itself had intricate designs. He’s had this ring for a really long time, having intentions to propose to Oikawa for such a long time, but he never had the chance to do it. He scoffs at himself. Oikawa was always courageous, bold, and audacious. He was always affectionate and vocal about his feelings, never faltering even if it wasn’t reciprocated. Oikawa complemented him, completing all the things he lacked.  _ Had I been braver and bolder with you…  _ Iwaizumi thought to himself, feeling the guilt and regret piling up, and stirring his stomach. Iwaizumi lies down and sleeps, holding the boxes.

\---

Oikawa wakes up groggy, he stands up to wash his face to prepare for breakfast with Kenma and Kuroo. He opens his phone to check the time,  _ 6:14 am _ . There was also a message from his mom.

Mom :* (6:00 am): Good morning, Toru. Kindly give me a call when you read this. 

Oikawa dials his mom’s number which was answered promptly. “Good morning, mom. What’s up?”

“Toru~ Hajime found you last night, right? Are you still fighting?” Oikawa’s mom chimes in, noticing his son’s cheerless voice. 

“No, I broke up with him.” Oikawa says, remembering last night, making him tear up again.

“Oh, Toru. You do know Hajime loves you so much, right? He’s not showy but he takes really good care of you.” Oikawa’s mom says. She honestly loves Hajime for her son but she doesn’t want her opinion clouding Oikawa’s mind.

“Ha~ I think I do. He asked me to give him another chance, but I don’t really know anymore.” Oikawa responds, rubbing his face in confusion.

“You know, Toru, your father and I had a lot of fights even before we got married and we still fight until now. We’ve given each other chances we can no longer count, but we do it because we love each other. The mind may be angry but the heart still loves, Toru. More daunting fights will definitely happen in the future, and if you can’t handle this, maybe start asking if your love for each other is strong enough. Make the decision you’ll regret less in the future.” Oikawa’s mom advises Toru, hopefully clearing his mind to come to a decision.

“You sure have a lot to say, considering you’ve been married for so long, haha… Thanks, mom. I appreciate your advice. I have to eat breakfast now, I hope you’ve had yours. Bye, mom. I’ll visit real soon!” Oikawa ends the call. He heads out, wearing his knee support, and goes to the hotel restaurant for the breakfast buffet. He received a message earlier from Kuroo that they were already there. Oikawa arrives and sees Kuroo waving his arm to show where they are. Oikawa jogs towards them and greets them good morning before grabbing a plate and food to eat. He settles in his seat and his plate is barely filled. “Oikawa, you should eat more.” Kenma says, passing a few pieces of sausages on his plate. “Kenma~ You’re so sweet.” Oikawa says pouting cutely and caressing Kenma’s hair. Kenma may seem indifferent but he’d be heedful when needed. They sat and ate, talking about what the convention was about, after receiving the ticket. “So… Oikawa, what are your plans? With you know,.. uhhh… Iwaizumi?” Kuroo asks with caution. “I had a call with my mom earlier and she gave me really good advice. I love Iwa-chan a lot and honestly, I want to see him but I don’t think I have the courage to. I sort of understand why he was behaving that way but I wish he just told me bluntly, rather than making me walk on glass around him. I do admit that I was too hasty with the break-up but I was so disappointed and furious. We’ve had bigger fights before but I guess I had really high expectations during this visit due to the supposed proposal and I guess that added to my frustrations and disappointments. To be very honest, I’m scared. What if we hurt each other again, more than we did now?” Oikawa vents his thoughts to his friends. “Of course, you’ll hurt each other but you’ll also be there to nurture each other with love. Nobody has a perfect relationship but they make it work because they love each other.” Kenma chimes, sounding like some love guru, drawing a smile from Kuroo. “Oh, right! Uhhh, Oikawa, you haven’t unblocked Iwaizumi? He’s been killing my phone, asking me if you’re alright and if you’ve eaten and shit. Also...” Kuroo says, taking a really long pause, as if he did something bad. “Iwaizumi invited himself for breakfast and to the convention because I kinda told him you were coming, he wouldn’t stop bothering me about it. Hehe. Sorry for intervening but it’s too late to say no since he’s already here.” Kuroo says, pointing at the entrance. Oikawa turns around and his jaw drops as he sees him walking towards them. He feels his stomach churn from nervousness and shock, he was happy to see him but he wasn’t ready for it. Iwaizumi takes the seat beside Oikawa, faintly smiling and says, “Good morning, Toru.” Oikawa starts blushing upon hearing Iwaizumi call him by his first name, his heart beating erratically. Oikawa had requested Iwaizumi to call him by his first name or some sort of nickname but he never obliged. Oikawa stands up abruptly, excusing himself to calm his nerves in the bathroom. Oikawa arrives at the bathroom, leaning on the sink through his arms and closes his eyes, trying to catch his breath. Oikawa feels a presence, opens his eyes, and sees Iwaizumi standing right behind him and turns around to face him. Iwaizumi swiftly embraces him, leaving Oikawa in an awkward position, not knowing where to place his hands. “Let’s just stay like this for a while. Please.” Iwaizumi says under his breath. Oikawa can feel his heart beating rapidly but eases into the hug. 

They return to the table together but never had a proper conversation. They head to the game convention that Kenma was invited to, the venue was filled with fans, some of them in game character cosplay, there were different games present as well. It was honestly a new world for Oikawa and Iwaizumi but Kuroo was familiar with this, touring and answering the questions the two had. “Hey, guys. Feel free to look around. I have to go, Kenma’s calling for me.” Kuroo says, waving goodbye as he jogged away, leaving the two alone. 

“So, how’s your knee?” Iwaizumi asks, trying to make small talk. 

“It’s okay, I’m wearing my knee support under my joggers. You slept well?” Oikawa responds, keeping the conversation going.

“Would have slept better if you were around.” Iwaizumi says, smirking at Oikawa.

_ What the fuck? When was Iwaizumi this slick?  _ Oikawa thinks to himself as he clears his throat, not knowing how to respond. The air around them grew awkward due to the silence. “So, Toru, can you give me a chance?” Iwaizumi speaks up as they walk around, looking at all the games at the convention. Oikawa sighs and stops at his tracks, this makes Iwaizumi nervous. “Iwaizumi, I think it’d be better if we talk about it.” Iwaizumi’s heart drops, he wasn’t expecting him to say that and Oikawa’s sudden change in demeanor. Oikawa loves attention, especially from Iwaizumi, the sudden change made the spiky haired boy anxious. “Kenma’s interview is about to start. Y’all wanna watch?” Kuroo chimes in as he arrives. They head to the side of the venue where the stage was. Kenma talks about the new game Bouncing Ball was developing, talked about his pro gamer and Youtube career, mostly professional questions. One interviewer asks, “Mr. Kozume, would it be alright to ask more personal questions?” and the other interviewers howl in agreement. “Depends on the question.” Kenma responds, with a poker face. The interviewers began asking about his highschool volleyball career and all sorts of other questions. “Mr. Kozume, are you acquainted with the Japanese volleyball player of Argentina, Mr. Oikawa? There have been multiple sightings of you two together in the past.” An interviewer asks. “Ah, yes. We’re actually friends brought together by volleyball. He’s a setter like me so we get along pretty well.” Kenma answers more enthusiastically than other questions. The interview wraps up and Kenma joins the three shortly. It was pretty obvious that Oikawa’s jetlag was getting the best of him, yawning, and dozing off despite standing. “Sorry, guys. I’m feeling pretty tired, must be the jetlag, but I think Imma head out and go back to my room to sleep.” Oikawa says his farewells and leaves the three behind. He exits the function hall and feels a hand grab his wrist. “How about lunch before heading back?” Iwaizumi says, wanting to spend more time with him. “Honestly, I’m really tired, and still pretty full from breakfast.” Oikawa, at this point, was playing hard to get, he wanted to see Iwaizumi try harder in convincing him to spend some time with him. “How about you sleep at my place instead? I’ll cook you some food so when you wake up, you won’t have to go out anymore. I’ll buy you some milk bread on the way home and I’ll cook-” Iwaizumi’s rambling halts when Oikawa cuts him off. “Sure, Iwaizumi. Let me check out then, wait for me in the lobby.” Iwaizumi never thought Oikawa would agree with coming to his apartment but he was beyond bliss hearing Oikawa’s response.

Oikawa was smiling non stop on his way to his room. He thought Iwaizumi’s rambling and actions were so adorable, he was always calm and collected whenever they talked so it was refreshing, seeing that side of Iwaizumi. He packs his bag, checks out of the hotel, and they both ride Iwaizumi’s car. “Toru, I’m really sorry… and thank you for… not running away from me.” Iwaizumi’s voice was sincere, he really was thankful to Oikawa. “Iwaizumi, I was really hurt by what happened. We haven’t seen each other in over six months. We celebrated our anniversary through a video call and missed each other’s birthday because I’m in Argentina. I’m used to how you are and I’ve grown to love that about you. I guess my plans of proposing to you gave me really high expectations for this trip and the frustration added to the disappointment really ticked me off. Honestly, you don’t have to prove anything to me, I know you love me and it’s not like you starve me of affection or anything. I understand why you behaved that way but we both know it was wrong. I admit the break-up was pretty reckless. We’ve had bigger fights before and we’ve found ways to resolve it. My mom told me to follow where my heart will be happiest. I may be mad but my heart still loves.” Oikawa says, looking out the window. He sees the cars passing and a traffic building, slowing things down to a complete halt, much like his emotions. He lets his emotions and thoughts flow in words, slowly building until it was still and calm. Iwaizumi was somewhat surprised with Oikawa, he’s often silly and playful with him, he appreciated the mature words and tone from Oikawa. At the same time, Iwaizumi feels a tad bit mad at himself, seeing this behavior from Oikawa meant that he must’ve hurt him plenty. Iwaizumi swallows and says, “Toru, seeing how serious you are right now, I must’ve given you a lot of pain. I don’t think saying sorry would cover it. I truly did miss you but my discouragement from work got the best of me. Let’s do everything you want while you're still here. I’ll make sure you’ll be filled with so much love that when you go back to Argentina, you won’t feel hungry.” Iwaizumi utters, glancing at Oikawa to gauge his response. Oikawa was just smiling, looking out the window, tapping his fingers on his knee. “Try to get some sleep now, the traffic’s pretty bad.” Iwaizumi suggests. 

The trip took them almost an hour because of the traffic. Iwaizumi lightly shakes Oikawa, softly calling his name. They wake up and head to the apartment, with luggage and milk bread in their hands. Oikawa starts shedding tears upon entering the apartment, remembering the argument they had before he left. Iwaizumi sees this and hugs Oikawa, “Toru, why are you crying?” The hug helps Oikawa stop crying, taking a deep breath, “I just remembered how we argued. I guess it’s still fresh in my memories, it stings a bit to be here.” Iwaizumi sighs, and cups Oikawa’s face and wipes the tears, tilting it down so that they’re looking at each other, “Let’s make good memories then so you won’t have to remember it.” They proceed to the bedroom and they both change into more comfortable clothing. Oikawa then climbs in bed, wrapping himself with the comforter, and this makes Iwaizumi feel relieved that despite having the memories of their fight fresh in his mind, Oikawa still felt comfortable in his apartment. Iwaizumi sits beside Oikawa, “I love you, Toru. I’m sorry, I’ll treat you better,” and he leans down to plant a kiss on Oikawa’s forehead. Iwaizumi stands up, intending to head to the kitchen to cook a meal for the two of them, when he feels a hand wrap around his arm. “Please stay.” Oikawa says, pulling Iwaizumi closer. “But I have to cook for us. You’ll be hungry when you wake up.” Iwaizumi says, patting Oikawa’s hair, brushing aways the strands that covered Oikawa’s beautiful face. “I think I’d like your presence better than your cooking.” Iwaizumi gives in and lies beside Oikawa, enveloping him in a hug. “This is the first time we’ve cuddled since I arrived.” Oikawa’s voice was muffled since his face was snuggled into Iwaizumi’s chest. Iwaizumi lifts Oikawa’s face and plants a soft kiss on his lips, “This is the first kiss we had too, but I promise it won’t be the last.” Iwaizumi smiles at Oikawa as they drift off to dreamland. 

The two woke up from their sleep, still a bit dazed. The sleep was definitely better when they had each other. They sit up and Iwaizumi’s stomach grumbles audibly, he was definitely hungry. Oikawa giggles due to the sound and Iwaizumi smiles, happy to see Oikawa being at ease. The two stand up and head to the living room and settle on the couch. “Iwa-chan, how do you feel about having beer and pizza tonight and watch a movie together? I don’t want the kitchen taking you away from me.” Oikawa chimes and Iwaizumi’s heart starts beating rapidly when he hears Oikawa call him by pet name. “Say it again.” Iwaizumi says, holding his chest. “Uhm, pizza and beer?” Oikawa says in a rather confused manner. “No, no. Say my name again.” Oikawa smiles, “Iwa-chan~” Iwaizumi was blushing like crazy, he missed being called that name and how Oikawa’s voice rang sweet in his ears. “I’ll have the pizza delivered, Toru.” Iwaizumi says and kisses Oikawa on the lips.

The pizza arrives and Iwaizumi grabs all the beer present in his fridge and settles everything down on the coffee table. They start eating and drinking, all the while talking. “So Oikawa, are we like… dating again?” Iwaizumi asks, trying to make himself feel more secure and sure about what exactly they were. “Yeah, we are.” Oikawa says, stuffing his mouth with another huge bite of pizza. “Now that we’re talking about our relationship, is there anything you want me to adjust about myself?” Oikawa asks, after drinking his beer. A small smile tugs at the corner of Iwaizumi’s lips, Oikawa was just so selfless right now, he was the one who was disappointed but he was still the one taking the initiative to improve their relationship. 

“Shouldn’t I be the one asking that? I don’t think I’d change anything about you but I do hope you won’t threaten to leave again if we fight in the future. How about me?” 

“Haha, okay, I won’t. I love you as you are but I don’t mind having you being all forward with me. Actually, maybe a bit more enthusiasm when I visit.”

“Okay, I’ll keep that in mind.” Iwaizumi then reaches under the couch pillow and returns the box to Oikawa. “I’m guessing you want this back? I think it has meaning again.” Iwaizumi then stands up and leaves, heading to the hallway leading back to the bedroom and bathroom. Oikawa was a little appalled, that wasn’t exactly the best time for Iwaizumi to leave, they were talking and he didn’t even excuse himself. Iwaizumi was gone for a few minutes then calls out, “Toru! Can you come to the bedroom?” Oikawa obliges and head to the area. 

Oikawa’s jaw drops and his hands covering his mouth from shock. Iwaizumi was on one knee, holding a small box with a beautiful ring inside. Oikawa was not expecting this, he didn’t know what to say. “Toru, I know this might not be the most appropriate situation to do this, we just had a fight and all but I couldn’t stop myself. I’ve had you by my side for almost my entire life and I’d love to spend the rest of it with you. I’ve had this ring for a really long time now but never had the courage to carry out my plans. With you, I feel like I could do anything and defeat any obstacle. Toru, will you marry me?” Oikawa starts crying again, he wasn’t expecting this at all, a day hasn’t even passed since their fight and here was the love of his life proposing to him. Despite the unexpected situation, Oikawa was on cloud nine, and he nods and says, “Yes! Iwa-chan! I’ll marry you. Oh my god, I wasn’t expecting this. This was such a surprise.” Iwaizumi stands up and wears the ring on Oikawa’s finger. Oikawa then suddenly runs out and returns with the engagement ring for Iwaizumi and wears it on his finger. They hug and kiss each other while tears of joy run down their faces. 


End file.
